Fordham Law Joins Chinese Business Lawyers Association and Launches Joint Mentoring Program

October 09, 2012

Fordham Law has become an institutional member of the Chinese Business Lawyers Association and together they will launch a mentoring program for students interested in the Asian legal field.

The mentoring program will match Fordham Law students interested in establishing a China legal practice with attorneys that practice in the field. The students will meet with the attorneys monthly to discuss the challenges and opportunities a China practice presents.

"This is a rapidly growing area of law, and we welcome the opportunity to work with the CBLA to provide students with practical advice that will help them launch their legal careers," said Jae Zhou '13, President of the Asian Law Society at Fordham Law. "Because ALS and CBLA have similar missions, this mentorship is the first of its kind to offer such a perfect fit matching students interested in China practice with attorneys who can offer valuable insights."

The CBLA, a nonprofit organization founded in early 2009, is the leading association of legal and business professionals involved in or interested in law and business in the United States and China. It sponsors quarterly seminars on Chinese legal topics, as well as monthly chats and regular social networking events relating to business and law in China. Approximately one-fourth of the top 25 most prestigious law firms in the country, according to Vault rankings, are represented within the directors and officers of the CBLA.

Geoffrey Sant, a director of the CBLA and Special Counsel at Dorsey & Whitney said, "We are excited to partner with Fordham Law School, one of the world's great law schools, in introducing students to international practice. Our goal is both to introduce students to the practice of international law, and also to help those students network with attorneys working in this field. We see these students as the future of our profession, and it is part of our mission to help them as they join China practices."

Fordham Law is the first law school to become an institutional member of the CBLA. The relationship provides the Fordham Law community with access to CBLA events while allowing the CBLA to extend its services to a select group of students.

Fordham Law and the CBLA recently jointly hosted an event titled "International Practice—A Career Panel," which featured panelists from nearly a dozen major law firms, general counsel at two Chinese companies, and representatives from the nonprofit and recruiting communities. They will also jointly host a conference on January 28, 2013, titled "Deals and Suits: Challenges and Opportunities for Chinese Companies Doing Business in the United States." The conference panelists include Fordham Law School professors, practicing attorneys from major law firms, as well as the Honorable Denny Chin '78 of the Second Circuit.